The Yadavas were finished. Krishna, their cousin, friend and guide, was gone. The Pandavas did not wish to live any longer in Hastinapura. Abhimanyu’s son, Parikshit, was crowned the king. Then the Pandavas and Draupadi began a long pilgrimage which was their last journey. Somewhere along the way, a dog attached itself to the group. They reached the Himalayas and visited the holy places as they climbed. One by one, they grew exhausted, fell by the wayside and died. Draupadi, Nakula and Sahadeva went first. Then Arjuna and Bhima followed. Yudhishthira kept walking along alone, followed by the faithful dog, who was actually Dharma. Everyone, friends, teachers, mother, brothers, wife, had left Yudhishthira, except Dharma, right conduct. He met Indra, who had come to take him to heaven in a chariot, but Indra would not take the dog. Yudhishthira refused to go without the faithful dog.
The Last Journey
